Amid all the thread winding I’m just dropping in to let you know that my recorded interview with the lovely Kate Ward of Making Zen is now available to watch on YouTube here.
It was a joy to chat with Kate about daily stitching, mark-making, time and other things, and I hope you enjoy watching it. Please do give it a thumbs up on Kate’s YouTube channel if you liked it.
In the meantime if you haven’t got your Making Zen ticket yet, you can still get it here. Upgrading to the VIP pass will let you access the workshops two weeks early, from 15th May.
zero-waste stitched samples
The VIP pass gives you full access to all the workshops plus some very generous free gifts from 32 participating artists. For transparency, I am awarded a small commission (at no extra cost to you) when you purchase your ticket from the links on this page, so you will be helping to support my work as an independent artist. Thank you so much.
You know, middle-aged English people rarely get truly excited about anything, but I am genuinely very excited to be taking part in Making Zen this month and I’m looking forward to sharing some of my favourite techniques with you.
Bright and early on a Monday morning, and here’s the first of my two Big Newses I’ve been waiting to share: I’m delighted to be hosting a workshop on the fabulous Making Zen online stitching retreat, happening from 26th May, and you can get your free ticket here:
Making Zenis much more than just another free event. It’s an opportunity to slow down, tune out the noise, and reconnect with your inner artist. If you’re looking for a quiet pocket of time to make something with those delicious scraps of fabric and threads, then here’s an invitation to somewhere special.
It’s called the Making Zen Online Retreat, and it’s five soul-soothing days (26–30 May 2025) hosted by Kate Ward of Zen Stitching, where 32 (!) makers, artists, and creators share an invitation to slow down, reconnect with your creativity, and rediscover the joy of making with your hands.
You’ll discover:
How to turn your scraps and remnants into stunning art (and peace of mind)
Cultural traditions in art to explore
Why listening to your gut might be the most creative move you make
And I’m delighted to be there too, sharing my session on zero waste stitching.
If you’ve already purchased the course, the Making Zen workshop will still be of value. In addition to the workshops there are free gifts and exclusive extras, plus you get to join over thirty other workshops from some incredible artists including Jody Alexander, Ann Smith, Mirjam Gielen, and many more.
And the best thing about all of this is that – yes! – it’s 100% free to attend. No strings, no catch. Just art, peace, and a community of makers who understand the value of quiet, mindful making.
I’ll look forward to seeing you there, with an open mind and hands full of thread.
For transparency, you will see that this email contains a few links to the Making Zen ticket. These are affiliate links, which means if you later decide to upgrade to the VIP Pass, I’ll receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) and you’ll be helping to support my work as an independent artist. Thank you so much for signing up – there’s so much to enjoy here.
And PS – for anyone looking for information on pricing (for the VIP pass) here are the prices:
If you’d like to leave a comment at the end of the SoST article, please scroll down the page to the end of the interview and you should see the comments box.
stitched landscape
Comments are off for this blog post (busy day ahead) but just wanted to share the article here.
I’m completely delighted to be included in this brand new publication by Brodie Marshall at UTAY
Feature in Volume 1 of UTAY (Under the Ancient Yew)UTAY Vol. 1UTAY Vol. 1
It’s one of the most beautiful magazines I’ve ever seen. It’s more like a book, really, and I will treasure my copy. The text and images create a meandering path through ancient wisdom: finding connections to our buried past, learning from the folklore and stories of places and times, and considering how we might live creatively in the modern world while remaining aware of and rooted in our natural environment and origins. The production and design are stunning, and it holds a wealth of talent in its pages – artists specialising in drawing, photography, poetry, printing, textiles, illustration, and more.
front cover, Volume 1
I understand this volume is sold out (and I’m not surprised, given how beautiful it is) but you can contact Brodie to find out how to pre-order forthcoming issues.
You can find the list of contributors to this issue here:
